Accreditation 11 April 2014

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of three higher education courses of study offered by the Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd

TEQSA has determined, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), to grant accreditation of the following higher education courses of study offered by the Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd for a period of four years until 11 April 2018:

• Bachelor of Business Information Systems
• Associate Degree in Business Information Systems
• Diploma of Business Information Systems

TEQSA has, under subsection 53(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed three conditions on the accreditation of the above courses of study. The Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd must, prior to delivery of the courses:

Condition 1:

The Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd must, prior to delivery of the courses, review its proposed internal credit arrangements and its articulation agreement with the Australian Institute for Commerce and Language to demonstrate how they protect the integrity of the Associate Degree and the Bachelor Degree and provide a copy of this review to TEQSA. The review is to include:

a) on what basis credit can be granted for the subjects ISY102 Introduction to Business Information Systems and ISY212 Management Information Systems when they are not studied in the current Bachelor Degrees; and

b) a demonstration of how AIH has determined equivalence between the VET diploma subjects and the second year subjects - specifically how the VET diploma outcomes, skills and knowledge demonstrate the second year learning outcomes and whether the assessment of VET subjects and the second year subjects is equivalent.

Condition 2:

Prior to delivery of the courses, AIH will develop a plan and timetable to expand software licencing arrangements to include students' BYO devices and supply this to TEQSA.

Condition 3:

Prior to delivery of the courses, AIH will develop a workforce plan and provide this to TEQSA. The plan is to include:

a) AIH's plans to ensure there will be sufficient course leadership personnel with information systems expertise as student and staff numbers increase;

b) AIH's plans to ensure there is a balance of full time and sessional staff through the recruitment of full time staff as student and staff numbers increase;

c) AIH's plans to ensure there will be sufficient qualified and experienced staff to provide English language support as student numbers increase; and

d) AIH's plans (including a budget) to ensure that all teaching staff receive professional development to support the development of discipline knowledge, scholarship and teaching and learning knowledge.

Background to Decision

The Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd submitted an application for accreditation of three courses of study under Part 4 of the TEQSA Act. Subsection 45(4) of the TEQSA Act requires a registered higher education provider who is not authorised to self-accredit the course of study to apply to TEQSA for accreditation. Subsection 49(6) enables TEQSA to grant accreditation of a course of study for a period not exceeding seven years.

Main Reasons for the Decision

TEQSA has determined that the three higher education courses of study submitted by the Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd for accreditation comply with the Provider Course Accreditation Standards.

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to the Australian Institute of Higher Education's application for accreditation of three courses of study is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as the Australian Institute of Higher Education is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards. TEQSA considers that the risks of non-compliance with the Threshold Standards involve a number of matters that may affect the Australian Institute of Higher Education's capacity to manage and deliver its higher education awards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Bachelor of Business Information Systems, Associate Degree in Business Information Systems and the Diploma of Business Information Systems include ensuring:

  a) Proposed credit and articulation arrangements protect the integrity of the awards to which they apply

  b) The resourcing for the courses includes software licensing arrangements which provide students with access to required software on BYO devices

  c) There will be a sufficient number of appropriately qualified staff to lead and teach the courses and an appropriate balance between sessional and full time staff

  d) All academic staff who will teach the courses receive appropriate teaching and learning, scholarship and professional development support

  e) That benchmarking arrangements are formalised and proposed activities and timeframes for benchmarking are developed

In accordance with subsections 53(2) and 53(3) of the TEQSA Act, TEQSA may vary or revoke a condition imposed on the registration of a higher education provider, either on its own initiative, or upon application by the provider for variation or revocation.